Back by popular demand in 2018... RotoBaller has brought back for the MLB draft season and regular season our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups List. Be sure to also use our other lineup tools shown in the icons below.

2018 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire by MLB Position

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: Trevor May has pitched less than five innings since the September 2016, yet he has a legitimate shot to earn some saves in Minnesota. The Twins have been without a true closer after trading veteran Fernando Rodney to the A's earlier this week. Trevor Hildenberger was the first to step up Saturday against Detroit. He promptly allowed two runs but ended up with his first save of the season. Recent outings have not been kind to Hildenberger as he has allowed...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 2% of leagues ANALYSIS: With Jose Altuve and George Springer on the disabled list, there was some reshuffling done which now allows first baseman Tyler White to get some playing time at first base. Thus far, he is making the most of it. In the last two weeks, he has three homers, nine RBI, and a .342 batting average. In 79 plate appearances, White has a slash line of .279/.380/.574. These totals are boosted by a 14% walk rate...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% of leagues ANALYSIS: In the last 30 days, Chicago White Sox first baseman/outfielder Daniel Palka has compiled seven HR with 17 RBI and a .306 AVG. The important thing to know is that he has very unique splits. At home, he is a .277 hitter that only generates 33% hard-hit rate and his swing is catered toward a ground ball result (46%). Contrarily, on the road, his swings generate more fly balls (44%) and hard-hit rate (43%), resulting in more...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles infielder Tim Beckham started off the season very slow with a .206 batting average in the first half with two HR and 13 RBI. In only 89 plate appearances of the second half, Beckham already has five homers, 15 RBI, and a .303 average. It should be noted that Beckham does not hit the ball with authority, as his hard-hit rate is only 31%. He needs to improve that similar to the rate of 2017...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS The Rays are putting together a nice young team and infielder Matt Duffy is in position to capitalize on it. He is a steady bat that will get some counting stats if the rest of the offense can do their part. He is not the kind of player that will generate his own production. Duffy is not going to give you a lot of power as he only has a .382 slugging on the season. However, he can...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates infielder David Freese has been an underestimated player this year. Ok, may he is not big-time power hitter, but he is just another guy who can hit the ball. However, it is worth pointing out that he does have a slash line of .292/.346/.474 so Freese does provide exactly what you need in a player, the ability to get on base and above-average slugging. In the last 14 days, Freese has two homers with nine...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. appears to be turning the corner and turning into the 30 home run/16 stolen base player that they traded for this spring. Unfortunately, Souza suffered a pectoral muscle strain in spring training that kept him out for most of the first half (he initially came back in May, but played poorly and landed back on the disabled list with the same injury a few weeks later). No matter his issues early on, he...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: After reaching base three times in four plate appearances on Saturday (single, double, walk), Hunter Renfroe's season line stands at .251/.317/.489. This represents a legitimate step forward across the board in his second full MLB season. The caveat, of course, is that he hasn't played every day thanks to a surplus of outfielders on the Padres' roster. That should be less of an issue going forward, particularly with Wil Myers injured yet again....continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: After the dealing of Fernando Rodney to the Oakland Athletics, a the Minnesota Twins are going to have to find a replacement for high-leverage situations among their bullpen that holds the sixth-worst ERA in baseball at 4.67. Of those candidates, Trevor Hildenberger stands out as a strong contender for several reasons. For one, despite a recent stretch of particularly ugly outings to kick off August, he had been producing a solid amount of encouraging peripherals....continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Aledmys Diaz certainly has not recaptured the form he showed as a rookie in 2016 (obviously if he had, his ownership rate would not be microscopic), but he has bounced back in terms of power. The Blue Jays’ shortstop has 14 homers this year in just 300 plate appearances, with four of them coming in his last 11 games. While he only hit seven home runs for the Cardinals last season, Diaz did...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot has had a disappointing 2018 season after posting an ADP of 138 (36th among outfielders) this spring. Fantasy owners were clearly betting on the promising form Margot had flashed in the second half of last year when he looked like a viable 20/20 candidate. Instead, Margot has just five home runs and only has 10 stolen bases. Those poor numbers mask the fact that the 23-year-old has quietly turned his season around as the...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals middle infielder Adalaberto Mondesi has been one of the best waiver wire pickups over the last weeks because he refuses to quit hitting. The Royals’ shortstop, who turned 23 last week, has gone hitless just twice since July 10 and posted a .305/.317/.492 line during that time, with a three homers and eight stolen bases. Some of that success is certainly BABIP-fueled (.385), but given how tough it is right now to find players who can contribute...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% of leagues ANALYSIS: Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Blaine Hardy is more of a dart throw as, obviously, the talent level drops when you get below the 25-percent-owned line in fantasy baseball. Hardy was hit hard in his last outing, allowing five earned runs in five innings against the Angels in Los Angeles, only striking out three batters. A poor outing last time out aside, he has also dealt some decent performances.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow looked liked the guy that the Rays traded for on Tuesday night. Glasnow’s second start for Tampa Bay yielded nine strikeouts over four innings of one-run ball, allowing just two baserunners before being lifted. His two “openings” for Tampa combine for a line of 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 14 K. Sure, facing the Orioles is as easy as the AL East is going to get for a...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: Those unfamiliar with the embarrassingly-rich stable of young Braves arms are learning a lot in 2018. There are rumblings of prospect Touki Toussaint getting a spot start with Max Fried hitting the 10-day DL, and even the most distant rumblings mean you need to pay attention with a talent like Touki. The 22-year-old tore through Double-A with a 2.93 ERA/1.19 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 86 IP before a promotion to Triple-A, where he has posted...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: Miami Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez is basically unowned, so get your hands on Lopez now, before it is too late. Lopez has allowed two earned runs, or less, in three of the last four appearances and struck out at least five batters in four of the past five starts.

Lopez will make two starts this week, both on the road, facing both the Braves and the Nationals. Atlanta is first on the docket

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 0% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Heath Fillmyer is available in almost every league, but should be on your fantasy radar. Fillmyer was filthy against the Cubs in his last appearance, earning his first MLB win. He pitched seven scoreless innings against the Cubs and, while only striking out three batters, showed that he is worthy of a look in deeper leagues

Fillmyer is a two start pitcher this week, facing the Blue Jays in Kansas

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: After the first few months of his 2018 campaign were characterized by a slough of struggles with a pinch of power, 23-year old Franmil Reyes has exploded into the month of August with a 1.637 OPS and three dingers in 18 AB so far. He sports a few plate peripherals that are far from ideal for power hitting. His incredibly high strikeout rate of 35.4%, along with a below-average pull rate of 34.2%, and a GB/FB ratio of...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Former top-100 prospect Jorge Polanco hasn't hit for any power to speak of in his extremely limited 129 AB in July and August this season, but he has quietly put together two solid months of production at the plate. In his cumulative work on the year he has a .760 OPS with a single homer and four stolen bases in six attempts. Over the last two weeks alone, encompassing 47 AB, Polanco hit his sole dinger for the...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: The first month of the 2018 season was an unmitigated disaster for Randal Grichuk. He hit just .106, then hurt himself trying to make a diving play in the field. Since returning from that injury, however, he's done his best to overcome that rough first impression in Toronto. Grichuk has hit .273/.323/.546 with 14 home runs and 73 R+BI in 56 games after his stint on the disabled list, and has been seeing the bulk of his...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: Despite earning the victory, Derek Holland didn't pitch particularly well on Friday against the Pirates. That, however, was the first time he had allowed more than three runs since May 30, or more than two since July 1. The veteran southpaw has had a quietly solid season, striking out a batter per inning and posting playable ratios (3.97 ERA, 1.28 WHIP). Though he spent most of July shuffling between the Giants' rotation and bullpen, Holland should get regular turns...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of leagues ANALYSIS: A 4.51 ERA is admittedly unimpressive, but it's worth pointing out that over 20 percent of the runs Nick Pivetta has allowed this season came in two blow-ups covering just 2 2/3 innings. His ERA outside of those poor outings is a much more palatable 3.62, and considering that only nine qualified starters boast a higher strikeout rate, Pivetta ought to be more widely owned than he is at the moment. He's not without some risk - and even recommending...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Generally, we here at RotoBaller are not in the habit of recommending pitchers who have BB/9 rates in excess of 5.00 in both the majors and Triple-A. But saves are saves, and they're tough to come by in the dog days of August. Of course, Wily Peralta can tell you that from experience, as he hasn't actually recorded one since July 31. These facts probably have not endeared you to the idea of rostering him! But another fact is...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: While Jake Bauers has slumped a bit since the All-Star break, that has at least a little to do with a low BABIP that doesn't pass the smell test. Said slump has dropped his average to .233, but he still boasts an OPS above .800 to go with nine home runs and four stolen bases in 239 plate appearances. By virtue of hitting in the top half of the Tampa batting order, Bauers has also gifted fantasy owners with...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 54% of leagues ANALYSIS: Mallex Smith has been on fire recently, which is why his ownership rate has skyrocketed accordingly over the last few days. If he's still floating around on your league's waiver wire, though, it's time to put in a claim. The speedy outfielder has bounced back from a June swoon in a big way; since the start of July, he's slashed an absurd .395/.485/.616 and stolen 10 bases. Seven of those swipes have come in the last 10 games. Obviously...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi has had a boom-or-bust type of season. On a start-to-start basis, fantasy owners. He has allowed two earned runs, or less, in six of the last 10 starts, but he has also allowed four earned runs, or more in the other four appearances. Even the strikeouts are inconsistent; he has struck out five batters, or more, in six out of 10 starts and punched out three batters, or less, in...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Nick Pivetta is easily one of the better streamers of the week. He has punched out at least six batters in five consecutive appearances and allowed two earned runs, or less, in back-to-back starts. Pivetta also has a 31.4% K-BB% over the last 30 days, which is the 2nd best in baseball. Pivetta has a 4.20 ERA in the same time period, but also has a 60.6% strand rate, 1.07 WHIP, and .348...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: Embattled starting pitcher Trevor Cahill is having a very solid year in 2018, bouncing back from a rough 2017 season in which he finished with a 4.93 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, and an eye-popping 1.71 HR/9. The 30-year-old is now playing in his 10th season and in his second stint with the Oakland Athletics, where he played his first three years at the MLB level. Most of Cahill's statistics this year are great, and it is now officially...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies catcher Jorge Alfaro has hits in three of the last four games, driving in a run in each of those three games. Alfaro also tallied a multi-hit game on August 3, tallying a run scored and RBI in that game. He has a .250 batting average since the All-Star game, hitting three extra-base hits, knocking in six runs and scoring eighth. Unfortunately for Alfaro, there are a lot of negative traits in his portfolio, starting...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 31% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres catcher Austin Hedges looks like he is turning the corner after a 2017 season with a sub-par .660 OPS. Thanks to a slash line of .288/.345/.558 since the All-Star game, including four homers, he is now well on his way to the best season of his professional career in a Padres uniform. Hedges started the season with mediocre batted ball contact in April, producing more soft contact (31.1%) than hard contact (26.7%). Though when he returned...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of leagues ANALYSIS: Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matt Boyd is only 6-10 this season, posting a 4.33 ERA that is a bit below average, but there are a lot of reasons to own Boyd. First off, he has 8.14 strikeouts per nine this season and has 35 strikeouts in his last 34 1/3 innings. Secondly, he has also walked just five batters in that same time span (since the beginning of July) and has allowed less than five hits in...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: Miami Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Richards may only be 3-7 with a 3.98 ERA this season, but there are reasons to dismiss those numbers and look at him for fantasy purposes. First off, he plays for the Marlins, so his win-loss tally is skewed by the team that he plays for. More importantly, though, is the fact that he has struck out at least six batters in each of his last four starts and has pitched...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini came busting into the league in 2017 hitting .293 with 24 HR and 78 RBI. He was given a hard dose of reality in 2018, as he is hitting a terribly low .231, pulled down partially due to a .271 BABIP. No matter his issues, though, he still has 16 home runs and is an undoubted boost to power numbers. If there is a silver lining, it is that Mancini has...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks utility player Ketel Marte is in an awkward spot for playing time, something that could hurt his fantasy value. Arizona’s acquisition of Eduardo Escobar could end up cutting into Marte’s playing time when Jake Lamb heals up from his recent injury. If he keeps swinging the bat like he has been, though, getting at-bats will not be a problem. The 24-year-old is hitting .298/.381/.560 since the beginning of June with nine home runs...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols is currently on the disabled list with knee inflammation but the well-timed All-Star break gives him the possibility of returning fully healthy for the second half. Since the All-Star break (July 23), Pujols has only had two hitless games and has two home runs and four doubles in the same time span. Even at 38 years old, Pujols continues to smack the ball with authority, with a Hard-Hit rate better than he has in the...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Nick Ahmed has been solid over the last few weeks, but a roster crunch may see his playing time go down. The Diamondbacks’ infield is going to get crowded once Jake Lamb returns from the disabled list after Arizona acquired Eduardo Escobar at the trade deadline. Ahmed is now slashing .299/.347/.589 since the beginning of July, tallying two triples, six doubles, and nine home runs. More surprisingly, he only has a .321...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers was acquired by the Athletics this week and looks to make an impact for his new team. While his 7-6 record is not much to write home about and his 3.40 ERA is passable (even if his 4.57 FIP is not), he is also moving to a better team in the playoff hunt. Also, sorting specifically by homers on the FantasyPros park factor tool, Comerica Park stands at 13th while Oakland...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist has had a really good year as an experienced veteran. He has gotten more playing time than usual, as he has filled in well for Kris Bryant while he recovered from his injury. Since Bryant has returned, Zobrist has mainly played second and has also found opportunities at the top of the lineup. He is slashing .313/.398/.467 this season and has a .373 wOBA. While he only has...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc appears to be making the most of a change to the closer's role. With both Keone Kela and Jake Diekman shipped off to contenders at the non-waiver trade deadline. Leclerc has seen his fantasy value sky rocket. The 24-year-old has always missed bats at an impressive clip (12.53 strikeouts/nine this season), but this year he has improved his control substantially. While he had nowhere to...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ryan Borucki cruised through eight strong innings against the Mariners to notch his first Major League victory on Saturday. This gives him six quality starts in seven career outings, though his next opponent (Boston) was the one non-quality start. After going 6-5 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 77 Triple-A innings, Borucki is 1-2 with a 2.30 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 43 MLB innings. The wins are not nice,...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago White Sox starting pitching prospect Michael Kopech has been dominating of late and has to be getting closer to making his big league debut. Every time we look at his stats, he is improving and his latest turn on Aug. 5 was another solid one. He struck out nine while walking none and giving up two runs on eight hits with two wild pitches across seven innings. Everyone is ready for outfielder Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: Opportunity merits discussion, as the San Diego Padres are calling up Brett Kennedy to make his MLB debut on Wednesday against the Brewers in Milwaukee. While this is not a great matchup at all, the 24-year-old does have a sparkling 10-0 record with a 2.72 ERA and 1.12 WHIP across 16 Triple-A starts. Numbers like that will get the interest of the most skeptical of fantasy owners. The low walk rates around 6-7% are notable, but the 10.2% swinging-strike...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers was done dirty by a second-inning liner that drilled his shin and ended his run of five straight quality starts. Point to the lower K counts all you like because you should be adding him for is ratio relief that has landed in one of the best ballparks a homer-prone pitcher can call his own. Sorting specifically by homers on the FantasyPros park factor tool, Comerica Park stands at 13th while...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove has been on a roll of late. Basically, we just locking in seven innings of one- or two-run ball with two strikeouts for Musgrove now. He has done that in three straight outings versus tough match-ups (@CLE and @COL) as well as good ones (vs. NYM). It is hard to get upset at three clear-cut quality starts, but six strikeouts over 21 innings is a dangerous level of “production” that puts a...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez has a start today (Wednesday), but there are a lot of reasons to not pick him up until tomorrow. Why? It is at Coors, where he has posted a 6.63 ERA versus a beautiful 3.09 ERA on the road. However, do consider that Pittsburgh is one of eight teams with a collective wOBA under .300 in the last two weeks. Also, Marquez has won his last two home starts with...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini came busting into the league in 2017 hitting .293 with 24 HR and 78 RBI. He was given a hard dose of reality in 2018, as he is hitting a terribly low .231, pulled down partially due to a .275 BABIP. He does have 15 homers on the season though. If there is a silver lining, it is that Mancini has shown some signs of life recently. In the last 14...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% of leagues ANALYSIS: At 35 years old, Pittsburgh Pirates corner infielder David Freese is demonstrating that he can be a productive player on your roster. In 211 plate appearances in 2018, he has a .286 batting average to go with eight homers and 36 RBI. He has also frequently been in the middle of the Pirates lineup, putting him the position to enhance his run creation tallies. It is surprising because he is not hitting the ball that hard (33%)...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: The trade deadline passed and Johan Camargo remains the Atlanta third baseman. Not only that, but he has shown uncharacteristic hitting traits as of late. Camargo is not known as a power hitter, but in the last 14 days, he has four homers and nine RBI to go with a .293 batting average. His HR total now sits at 13. With some good fortune, Camargo could reach 20 by year's end. Camargo's power is not something to...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of leagues ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Nick Ahmed has been solid over the last few weeks, but a roster crunch may see his playing time go down. The Diamondbacks’ infield is going to get crowded once Jake Lamb returns from the disabled list after Arizona acquired Eduardo Escobar at the trade deadline. After hitting his 16th homer of the year, the former Gold Glove winner is up to 107 R+BI on the year, despite hitting primarily in the...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Aledmys Diaz certainly has not recaptured the form he showed as a rookie in 2016 (obviously if he had, his ownership rate would not be microscopic), but he has bounced back in terms of power. The Blue Jays’ shortstop has 12 homers this year in just 279 plate appearances, with four of them coming in his last 11 games. While he only hit seven home runs for the Cardinals last season, Diaz did...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kansas City Royals middle infielder Adalaberto Mondesi has been one of the best waiver wire pickups over the last weeks because he refuses to quit hitting. The Royals’ shortstop, who turned 23 last week, has gone hitless just twice since July 10 and posted a .340/.354/.511 line during that time, with a pair of homers and five stolen bases. Some of that success is certainly BABIP-fueled (.438), but given how tough it is right now to find players who can...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Oakland Athletics are, in a word, weird. Any team that counts both Brett Anderson and Edwin Jackson as members of its starting rotation in 2018 seemingly has no business being in a wild-card spot in a top-heavy American League. But after sweeping the Blue Jays earlier this week, that's precisely where Oakland finds itself. One reason is contributions from unheralded players like Mark Canha. Canha enjoyed some brief fantasy relevance back in 2015,...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Any way you slice it, Manuel Margot's 2018 season has been a disappointment. With an ADP of 138 (36th among outfielders) this spring, fantasy owners were clearly betting on the promising form Margot had flashed in the second half of last year when he looked like a viable 20/20 candidate. Instead, Margot has just four home runs and is only 10-for-18 in stolen base attempts. Those poor numbers mask the fact that the 23-year-old has quietly turned...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 46% of Yahoo leagues ANALYSIS: An inability to stay healthy has plagued Greg Bird throughout his major league career, which is why he still doesn't have 600 plate appearances to his name despite debuting in 2015. What Bird does have is power, a park seemingly tailor-made for his swing, and a stacked lineup in which to ply his trade. Bird's current numbers don't jump off the page (.236/.326/.446, nine home runs) but that's partly due to a slow start that's still dragging...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of leagues ANALYSIS: Through Memorial Day, Tanner Roark looked to be on his way toward continuing his career trend of excelling in even-numbered years. While he was just 2-4, he had produced tidy ratios (3.17 ERA, 0.99 WHIP), a strikeout rate north of 22%, and had logged a quality start eight of the 10 times he'd taken the hill. The remainder of his first half, however, was an abject disaster. Including a random relief appearance on June 3, Roark went...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: Coming off a career year in which he hit 30 home runs and stole 16 bases while putting up solid run production, Steven Souza Jr. was a popular late-round target in drafts this spring. Being traded from Tampa Bay to Arizona over the winter figured to only boost his value, even with the installation of a humidor at Chase Field. Unfortunately, Souza suffered a pectoral muscle strain in spring training that kept him out for most of the...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: With both Keone Kela and Jake Diekman shipped off to contenders at the non-waiver trade deadline earlier this week, Jose Leclerc appears to the be the man to own in the Rangers' bullpen. The 24-year-old has always missed bats at an impressive clip (career 15.1% swinging strike rate), but this year he's improved his control substantially. While he had nowhere to go but down from last year's horrific 7.88 BB/9 and 20.0...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: After the Chicago White Sox shipped closer Joakim Soria to the Milwaukee Brewers on July 26th, a big window of high-leverage opportunity opened up in the South Side's bullpen. This has created a volatile closer situation between pitchers like Juan Minaya, Luis Avilan, and despite his recent struggles, Jace Fry. How severely has Fry struggled? After a sterling start to the season with a 1.82 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 44% of leagues ANALYSIS: Overall, this hasn't been a great year for Michael Conforto. After injuring his shoulder on a swing last August, he underwent surgery that most expected to keep him sidelined until after the start of the 2018 season. He made it back in time for Opening Day, but struggled through most of the season's first half and clearly seemed less than 100 percent. That slow start contributed to his pedestrian numbers (.750 OPS, 14 home runs in 394 plate appearances...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 14% of leagues ANALYSIS: After a mediocre start to the season through the months of April and May, Derek Holland has been a reliable pitcher out of both the San Francisco rotation and bullpen. Since the start of June, coming into his start yesterday against the Diamondbacks, Holland has compiled a 2.80 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 54 2/3 IP across nine starts and four relief appearances. Several peripheral pitching factors have facilitated Holland's improved performance. For one thing, his walk rate...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 11% of leagues ANALYSIS: Though Austin Hedges finished 2017 with a sub-par .660 OPS, he did manage to wrack up 18 total HR and four stolen bases, both of which are encouraging for a 25-year old catcher playing his home games in Petco Park. This year, thanks to a recent two week stretch of four homers and a slash of .323/.389/.742 through 31 AB, he is now well on his way to the best season of his professional career in a Padres uniform....continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist has had a really good year as an experienced veteran. He has gotten more playing time than usual, as he has filled in well for Kris Bryant while he recovered from his injury. Since Bryant has returned, Zobrist has mainly played second and has also found opportunities at the top of the lineup. He is slashing .307/.395/.443 this season and has a .365 wOBA. While he only has...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith has hits in five of the last six games and has either a run scored or RBI in four of those six games. Smith has also stolen three bases in his last three games (bringing his season tally to 21) and also has a triple and two doubles in the last four games. Since the beginning of July, Smith is hitting .388 with 11 extra-base hits and, even more impressively,...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Mike Fiers only threw two innings in his last appearance, a start on Wednesday against the Reds, snapping a six quality start streak. Spanning from June 27, Fiers was 2-2 in that time period, but had a 2.06 ERA in 39 1/3 innings and walked just eight batters. Fiers is 7-6 with a 3.48 ERA this season, walking just 26 batters in 119 innings. As good as his control has been, Fiers' strikeout...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 38% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler has three quality starts in his last five after throwing six scoreless innings against the Pirates on July 27. While he struck out only three batters in his win over the Padres on July 24 (where he pitched seven innings), but he has struck out seven batters or more in three of his previous four starts. He is only 5-6 this season, but he his 4.11 ERA is supported by a...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales has yet to show his age and is hitting cleanup for the Blue Jays. Even at 35 years old, he is not a handicap to any fantasy lineup. By itself, his 13 HR and .253 average on the season does not exude confidence, but, when you look at his recent performance, you will see the benefits he still provides. Since July 23, Morales is hitting .302 with two home runs,...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 47% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson is coming off of two tough starts against Boston and Cleveland, but threw six innings against the Indians on July 31, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out six. This gives Gibson five straight starts with five strikeouts and saw him finish July with a 3-2 record and 3.43 ERA. He struck out 39 in July, walking 13 and putting up a solid 43.8% GB rate in 39...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 43% of leagues ANALYSIS: Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon has thrown just 58 1/3 innings this season, but looks like he is turning the corner as a solid pitcher. He pitched 28 2/3 innings in his four July starts, winning two, and striking out 27 batters while allowing just 15 hits. Rodon has also walked 12 batters, but is now 3-3 with a 3.24 ERA this season. While Rodon is pitching better, walks are still an issue (21 this...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Atlanta Braves closer A.J. Minter looks to have grabbed the job in Atlanta with both hands and it is unlikely that Aroldys Vizcaino will get it back. Vizcaino has been dealing with a bad shoulder, and Minter was thought to be splitting save opportunities with Dan Winkler, but it looks like Minter is the man to own in the ATL. Winker had the first shot at saves, but Minter appears to have the job for...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Given the dominance of the Yankees and Red Sox, the Rays were never likely to contend for a playoff spot. They have been respectable, though, posting a .500 record and a positive run differential entering Saturday's action. One reason has been the play of rookie Jake Bauers. The 22-year-old has hit .242/.347/.500 with nine home runs and four stolen bases in 50 games since getting promoted to the majors in June. He has not run as much as fantasy owners...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 49% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays first baseman C.J. Cron has predictably not maintained the torrid pace he set early in the season, but he can still help your fantasy squad. Cron is still the cleanup hitter for the Rays and has hits in two of his last three starts. After a putrid June, he has rebounded quite nicely since the beginning of July. The 28-year-old has seven multi-hit games in that time period, which has helped him to produce a .313/.356/.627...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Texas Rangers were one of the more active teams at the deadline, trading away pitchers Cole Hamels, Keone Kela and Jake Diekman. With essentially every team in the AL West outside of the Rangers set up for success in the immediate future, it looks as if Texas could be headed towards a lengthy rebuild. With their future murky, the Rangers can at least be thankful that they are getting a positive season out of catcher...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Angels trading Martin Maldonado to the Houston Astros before the deadline came as a bit of a surprise. Not only was it an inter-division trade, but Maldonado was coming off of a Gold Glove season and seemed to be a solid member of the Angels. Nonetheless, with Maldonado moved, Los Angeles called up Francisco Arcia. The rookie has looked strong during his short time in the majors and should have an opportunity to shine going forward. In...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin has fallen off a bit over the past few seasons. While Martin has seven straight seasons of double digit home runs, he is no longer the All-Star he was in 2015. While he has not necessarily returned to form in 2018, the Blue Jays' catcher has looked better recently and could be in for a strong finish to the year. On the year, Martin has hit just .190 with nine home runs and...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14% Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver has been somewhat of a forgotten man in 2018. He has seen regular starts with Jason Castro going down, but with the Twins struggling, not many are paying attention to his performance. Garver is not setting the world on fire, but he is been a consistent source of offense and could be worth a pickup. On the season, Garver is hitting .269 with five home runs, 22 RBI and 23 runs scored....continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of leagues ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners catcher Mike Zunino has seemed like a breakout candidate for multiple seasons now. While he has not become the dynamic catcher Seattle hoped, Zunino remains one of the best power-hitting catchers in the league. With the catcher position so weak in fantasy, it does not hurt to have a guy like Zunino in that spot. On the season, Zunino has hit just .197 with 13 home runs, 33 RBI and 22 runs scored. His batting average is undoubtedly...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez is an anomaly; a good starter for Colorado. Let the Coors Field discount work for you and scoop a free arm that has won four of his last five outings in Marquez. He is now 9-8 on the season after tossing 7 ⅔ solid innings with eight strikeouts and two earned runs against the A’s in Colorado. There is no denying he is a much better play on the road, anyone...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove has been on a bit of a roller coaster this season. Despite bearing the brunt of a 1-0 loss to the Mets on Sunday, fantasy owners should be able to look past the 4-5 record and see the improving 3.63 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. He has pitched at least seven innings in four of his last five turns, giving up just 10 earned across them. The fact that the Pirates...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kolby Allard fought through shaky weather in his MLB debut against Miami, winding up with five runs allowed (four earned) on nine hits (one homer) and two walks with one strikeout. He threw 81 pitches in all -- 53 fastballs (averaging 89.1 mph), 19 changeups and nine curveballs. While he was able to induce some timely grounders, he looked upset with himself often for missing high with his fastball or low with...continue reading

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: There was a lot of buzz early in the 2018 season about Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech being a midseason call-up, but the youngster’s control issues made it rather easy to dissuade prospectors. While it is likely that neither Kopech nor Eloy Jimenez accrues MLB service time in ‘18, Kopech’s recent pitching warrants some hedging stashes in redrafts. Tuesday night saw him go seven innings with eight strikeouts, two earned runs (both solo shots to ...continue reading